SEREiously DryCleaned
by Lysi Nothuna
Summary: Two people left their paths behind to start fresh. When they inadvertently meet, two destinies will become one in this thrilling adventure filled with surprises on every turn.
1. Prologue

SEREiously Dry Cleaned

(S- survival, E-evasion, R-resistance, E-escape; Dry-clean- to debug)

By: Lysi Nothuna

(A fanfic of what would've happened if Hermione defected after the Final Battle and Snape survived) Note: Has some references to Percy Jackson and the House of Night series

Prologue

"_I cannot take this anymore_

_I'm saying everything I said before_

_All these words they make no sense_

_I find bliss in ignorance" _

–_Linkin' Park "One Step Closer"_

"I can't do this anymore. I've tried to stay strong, but it's just too damn hard. I know this isn't the way to go but sometimes you just got to do what you just got to do, right? Right," she told herself, as she walked shakily down the deserted halls. Sounds of battle raged above her. She never liked the dungeons, always too dark as if out of someone's twisted nightmare. The shakes from the explosions did not help her quench her fears. It looked as if the walls were going to come down on her. And that was exactly what she wanted. The plan was simple, yet effective.

Everyone would believe it to be an accident, or a murder. She walked to a cabinet and pulled out bottles and gave them a slight whiff until she found what she was looking for and grabbed several other bottles that were behind it. She knew that Slughorn wouldn't notice, even if he did get to see his precious stores again. Snape would, but Snape is supposedly dead, isn't he? She was about to walk out of the room when she noticed movement in the shadows. She gripped her wand tighter and whispered, "Lumos." A soft light erupted from the tip and she poked her way through the shadows. "Don't let your nerves go yet girl. You still have worse to come," she said to herself after she didn't find anything.

She went to points in the dungeon that she had found structurally strategic and placed the little bottles in those places. She then grabbed the jug by the entrance and slowly started pouring it from each bottle to the center of the room where all the trails met. Before she could rethink her choice she muttered, "Incendio." Flames erupted from the liquid and started to snake its way to the bottles. The Slytherins had already escaped to the battle above, leaving her alone. Regret flashed through her, quickly squelched by her cold determination. In about 30 seconds the dungeons are going to become a field of rubble. Anyone above would fall but most likely not to their deaths. She dropped her wand by the staircase (after performing stupefy to throw investigators off track). She knew she was going to miss it, for crying out loud she treated it like it was the Queen's crown jewels.

She ran up the stairs and past fighters shouting curses at one another to the safety of a threstral. She got on and urged the beast up. After witnessing Dobby's death she could see the horrid beasts but ignored her dislike for them so she could use them to her advantage. She circled the battlefield until she saw the explosions from the dungeons. Everyone would believe her to be in ashes at the bottom of the rubble pile. Bitterly she thought about how nobody will care enough to make sure that that was true. "You did it," she congratulated herself, "You have just killed Hermione Granger." And she flew off as silent tears slid down her cheeks.

At dawn she arrived at the Burrow. No one was home and it was expected. All of the family members would be fighting in that damn war or dead. Hermione walked in through the (surprisingly) unlocked door. They must have left to fight in a hurry. She glanced at the clock in the kitchen where all of the family member's names were pointing towards mortal peril. Except for one. Hermione sank to her knees and bit back a sob. After a moment of gathering her wits she got back up. "At least it's not _him_," she reassured herself. She walked to where her cat, Crookshanks, was sitting and picked him up. "We're going now Crookshanks. We're leaving it all behind. It's time to start fresh, have a clean slate. We both know how badly we need this," she told her cat, who was mewling piteously. Hermione went to her old room and grabbed her bags. She then climbed the stairs to the attic where she took one last, longing look before she ran out of the house and started to walk to her new life. "Please understand," she whispered to the world as she walked down the road with Crookshanks at her heels.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 (Two Years Later)

"_This downtown apartment sure makes me miss home_

_And those bills there on the counter_

_Keep tellin' me I'm on my own"_

_-Carrie Underwood "Don't Forget to Remember Me"_

Today was yet another boring day for Silvia Quilb. Another day of wiping tables, serving drinks, getting puked on by drunks, asked if she was a hooker on her free nights, and receiving her usual headache that followed after the loud electronica music the club always played. She closed the doors and locked them, giving the handles a pull for good measure. She walked to the corner and hailed a taxi which took her to her flat, like always. When Silvia reached her building she bounded up the stairs to her fifth floor flat, ignoring her (usual) pain in the feet. "Hi Crookshanks, you must be hungry aren't you? Let me find something for you." Crookshanks was definitely skinnier now, and she couldn't blame him. Her salary barely covered herself, let alone a cat (and a picky one at that).

Silvia walked to the kitchenette which had its run of the mill 20 or so year old appliances. She bent down to the retro looking fridge (or maybe it was retro, she never figured that one out) and opened it. The almost bare space nearly made her cry. Silvia pulled out the last can of Friskies and pulled off the lid. Crookshanks padded over and went, "Mrrwwp?"

"Yes, it's dinner. Now eat up." She sat the can down on the tile floor. As her cat ate Silvia glanced at the counter. A stack of bills was on it, a mighty army compared to her small militia of a salary. She tried for a raise, the result in her being moved to the dawn shift as a warning from her greedy boss. On top was an already opened letter which said that if she didn't catch up on rent, she would be kicked to the curb. Silvia sighed and looked away. She worked really hard for this space. It was a small two bedroom one bath apartment with peeling drywall and bad plumbing, but it was hers and she called it home with pride. At this point most young adults would call their parents for money. Sadly this was not an option. They were still in Australia and were oblivious to the fact that they had a daughter. Silvia could've retracted the spell but chose not to. She disowned herself, so wouldn't her parents do the same?

You see, Silvia Quilb was not her real name. In fact, as soon as she got to London her first stop was the nearest courthouse to change her name to her present one. Her name used to be Hermione Granger, but not anymore. Even if she did keep the name her new behavior was most definitely not Hermione. She had cut her long, bushy hair to a short pixie cut, bleached her brunette locks to platinum and highlighted it with almost every color of the rainbow. This wasn't Silvia's original plan but hey, it's a new start so why not change things up a little. If Hermione Granger was Miss Perfect Silvia Quilb will be Miss Rebel. Her next stop was the eye doctor, where she got purple contact lenses (she picked the colour after seeing a really cute looking anime character). Then she went flat searching till she got this space, job searching till she got her job at the club, and to the nearest tattoo shop to get her ears, nose and belly pierced.

After settling in, she started to support herself. In the beginning all her clothes were thrift. Now she bought one outfit per salary as needed from Hot Topic. She had a cheap but working TV that had the basic popular channels, a used laptop (she quickly learned how to wipe its memory, what she found was disturbing), and a bike. She was now saving for a car but bills kept squashing her dream away.

Now on the verge of foreclosure she needed help. Desperately. That left one option. Have a roomie. "It will be fun," she told herself as she jotted down her ad on a piece of paper to give to the _Times_ and _Metro_ newspapers, "Just like a permanent sleepover. Didn't Hermione always want that? Yes, yes she did. And now I will do it for her." She always referred to her past self as if talking about another person, because in a way, it was true. Hermione wouldn't go to metal concerts and listen to alternative bands, she wouldn't drink or do something without planning ahead, and she most certainly wouldn't go work at a club, get piercings, a haircut, and curse for the hell of it. And she most DEFINITELY wouldn't smoke. It was a habit that even Silvia didn't like, but it did ease her stress and made her new self more new, so she did so anyway. All of Hermione's things were in a trunk in her closet, buried underneath old newspapers that told of Voldemort's defeat, death tolls, and to always look out for remaining Death Eaters. On top of that was old clothes that were worn through but never made their way to the trash or charity liked she planned. Now the only thing that kept Hermione and Silvia together was Crookshanks. Originally she was going to give him away, but he didn't deserve to pay for her mistakes so he got to hang around. In general, life was okay.

Silvia finished writing her ad at the same moment Crookshanks jumped onto the cluttered counter. "Let me read this to you and tell me what you think. _Roommate wanted. Two bedrooms, 1 bathroom flat at Number 30 Daisy Apartments on George lll Rd. Smoking allowed. Can be male or female. Cannot be allergic to cats and cannot own any rodents. Other pets are okay. Call Silvia Quilb at (020) 7546-3214 or email at for an appointment or more information. _To needy?"

"Prrrrrrr," replied Crookshanks, rubbing against her shoulder.

Silvia rubbed him affectionately behind the ears. "Yeah, I guess its fine. I better kick this talking habit; our new roomie would probably consider me a freak. As if I'm not one already," she sighed and got up. She glanced at the clock, which read 5:30 a.m. "Well, the newspapers don't open until around tenish so I guess I'll take a nap." She padded over to the couch and laid there where she soon fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 (Two Years Ago)

"_Do you remember me?_

_Lost for so long_

_Will you be on the other side?_

_Or will you forget me? _

_I'm dying, praying, bleeding, and screaming" _

–_Evanescence "Tourniquet"_

The sound of battle had quieted days ago. Hogwarts lay in ruins. The dead were still uncounted and most were unnamed. If any Muggles ever saw the scene they would probably compare it to Waterloo, or Bunker Hill, Gettysburg, the Alamo or D-Day. But the victors were rising from the ashes. They leaned on one another in shock, not sure how to cope with their Pyrrhic victory. The ones who had recovered were already planning restoration and searching for the wounded, dead, and missing. Field hospitals were set up in the most sanitary places possible, with witches running to and fro, tending to the injured, and helping the dying be at peace.

Two young men were looking down from a high turret at the destruction. One of them was responsible for all of this, and he had paid dearly. He died and came back to life only to discover that even though he won the war, his efforts were fruitless. Sure, Voldemort was dead, but at what cost? People he grew up with dead, both friends and enemies alike. But he knew that he was not the one who suffered the most. Instead it was his normally cheery best friend who stood beside him. The man was barely more than a boy, but at 17 he lost much. His brother, his friends and someone special. Someone whom he had hoped they could spend forever together. He remembered her like he always saw her, smiling with that quirky laugh he loved. And that kiss. He shook a little at the thought. No, she wouldn't like him crying over her. His friend put and arm over his shoulders and they stared in silence at nothing.

But what they didn't see was a figure sprawled on the back of a centaur, which was riding to the Forbidden Forest. The poor soul was carried to the centaur camp, where there were no others like him. He was laid by the other wounded. A healer trotted to the new arrival saw one look at him and gave a disdainful sniff, "I will not treat his kind!" he demanded, stomping his hoof. The centaur who carried him in argued in quiet whispers. The healer listened and his face softened a little. After some convincing the healer replied, "Fine, I will take a look at it. But only because we owe him, Firenze." He reluctantly bent down over the man. "His wounds are deep; most look like they were inflicted by a wand, so I can only do minimal healing. The rest," he pointed to the gashes on the man's neck and chest, "are snake bites." He examined the man closer, "The poison seems to have already spread. If he is awake in there he will feel a hell of a lot of pain. The best we can do is heal these wounds with whatever we got. I'll be surprised if he survives the night," he got up and applied the medication. "Keep an eye on him, Firenze. If anything changes let me know. Otherwise, I have other patients to attend to." The healer left the tent, leaving Firenze to ponder.

(Two years later)

"Wake up! Wake up! Come on, stay with me! The healer will be here soon!" Firenze shouted, shaking the unconscious man's shoulders. Everything was going smoothly until now. The man had been in a coma for close to two years now, but he had been stable. About five minutes ago he started to have convulsions. Now he was still, too still. Firenze got the healer during the seizure, and he was on his way.

"Move, let me take a look at him," the healer ordered. Firenze obeyed. He bent down and listened to the man's still heart. "You said he was having convulsions?" he asked. Firenze nodded silently back. "Then he went into cardiac arrest. We might be able to revive him," the healer said uncertainly. He started giving chest compressions, with no results. After about five minutes nothing changed. "Can we just take him back to Hogwarts, could they heal him?" Firenze timidly asked after the healer gave up.

"No, it's too late. He's in God's hands now, if he believes in one." The healer took the blanket on the still man's body and covered his face with it. "May Severus Snape be at peace, finally," he said. Together, they stood vigil for the martyr.

These past few days were not some of Severus Snape's good days. Not by a long shot. Potter had shown up out of the blue and McGonagall (the bitch) had kicked him out of his position as Hogwarts Headmaster. Just when he started to like the job too. He had run off to the Shrieking Shack when Voldemort showed up. Voldemort explained to him that in order to win, Snape had to die. Snape knew better than to believe that, he knew that Voldemort just wanted to make an excuse for killing him. Not that it mattered anyway; no one else was there to witness it. Or so he thought.

Apparently the Golden Trio (as Draco had dubbed them) was outside the dock-house, hoping to ambush Voldemort and kill Nagini, one of the last Horcruxes and Voldemort's pet snake. Oh, how Snape hated that thing. He guessed that it knew that because he swore that the snake made the bites more brutal and savage on purpose. Potter and his friends ended up witnessing murder, or apparently, attempted murder. _Same thing if you are the victim_, Snape supposed. After Voldemort left they snuck in, and went straight to Snape. He assumed at first that Potter was going to finish him off in exchange for killing Dumbledore. Damn that man. He was the reason all of this was happening in the first place to him. But instead of killing him Potter tried to save him. In the end, Snape did the unthinkable. He helped Harry without being told to do so. He gave him all of his memories that were of importance to the boy and some that were not. Now when Snape tried to recall them he could, but it was as if watching a damaged film.

After the trio had left, Snape laid there to die. He felt his life pool out of him along with his blood. Then he started having hallucinations. Lily would appear and speak to him, telling him that she loved him and always did, that she wished she chose him over James. She would tell him that it would be all over soon, to stick it out like he did when James and his friends pranked him at school. Then she left and James would appear with Sirius and Lupin, who would taunt him for being weak and dying and wanting someone he couldn't have. At one point they disappeared and a centaur showed up and he picked Snape up and put him on his back. They left the dock-house and took off to the forest and that's when Snape blacked out.

Snape would go in and out of consciousness arriving at the camp. He remembered seeing an argument between two centaurs. He remembered getting treated. Then he remembered nothing. He had blacked out again with his thoughts being; _now I die._ Snape awoke in white nothingness. He glanced down and realized that his normally black robes were sparkling white and all of his wounds were healed. "This is what it must be like to be dead," Snape muttered to himself, "The question is where am I?"

"You're in Limbo, sweetheart. This is the place where all souls go before being judged," a woman's voice said. The voice was not Lily's like he had hoped, but it did ring a bell. He quickly turned around, to face the holder of the voice. She was a woman in a gown of black, purple and navy. Her black hair was in loose curls down her back, and her eyes were like onyx jewels. Her skin was pale and he could almost see veins of gold beneath. Tattoos framed her face and covered her shoulders and back. They were all interconnected, with different rune markings and circles. A single crescent moon was on her forehead, filled in with a deep sapphire colour.

"Who are you?" Snape asked suspiciously.

"Do you not remember me Severus?" She replied, "I know it has been a long time, but please try to remember."

After a moment of thinking he replied, "You have no familiarity to me."

She sighed and looked a little upset, "Maybe this will help jog your memory." She turned into a more petite woman, with shorter, greasier hair and thick eyebrows. Her gown was replaced with wizard robes and her completely black eyes gained some whites. Her skin grew a little darker too, but not by much. Her tattoos had also disappeared leaving her skin with pockmarks from acne scars. Snape stumbled back in recognition. It couldn't be. After all these years, it just couldn't be. "M-mother? Is that you? Are you… d-dead?" Snape stammered in disbelief.

"Yes I'm your mother. No, I'm not dead. I'm in fact quite the opposite," she said with a warm smile. She turned back into her original form, still smiling.

Snape didn't know what to think. "Liar!" he snarled, "My mother left me, left me with that pathetic Muggle of a father."

"I know, I'm sorry but please understand-," she said, looking as if she was going to cry.

"There is nothing to understand! She, you, whatever, left me. No explanation! I never saw her, you, again and I grew stronger for it. I didn't need her then and I certainly don't need you now, Mother," he spat the word as if it was going to kill him if he spoke it.

"Maybe this will help explain. I know it isn't much of an excuse but," She started, sadness covering her face. At once the scene around him changed from white to a scene that he knew well. It was his home that he grew up in.

"Is this…. a memory?" Snape asked uncertainly, watching the scene form.

"Yes, one of mine," she answered. "You're free to explore, just don't wander out of the house. I don't have any control there."

That was fine with him; he only wanted to take a look around his old home. But something stirred in him, willing him to wait a little while. It was deathly quiet in the dim house. After five minutes of waiting Snape went to sit on the couch. The woman was already seated in the rocking chair by the fireplace. A moment passed when he suddenly realized that that was his mother's favorite seat. Anger welled in him and he was about to tell her to get up when- BANG!

The front door had opened and the silhouette of a man staggered into the room. At once Snape recognized him to be his father. "That's Father," he said quietly to the woman. "He's on one of his drunken rages." She nodded quietly in agreement. He could barely make anyone out; dark curtains of velvet covered all the windows. "No one ever explained to me why the curtains always were closed, why it was so dark. Father hated it." As he said that his Father went to the curtains and yanked them open, revealing bright sunlight. Out of the corner of his eye Snape noticed that the woman shied away from the light and had moved to the dark corner. He turned his attention back to his father who had begun shouting.

"Eileen! Gesht your filstchy ass down here now! Bring your rotten son witsh you!" Tobias Snape yelled.

"Now she'll refuse to come and she'll hide in her room. I'll come to him because nobody disobeyed Tobias Snape," Snape muttered. He was right. Soon a young Severus had come down the stairs. "I was around eight then. This is the day Mother told me who I was, what I could be," he reminisced.

"Father! You wouldn't believe what happened today! Mummy-," the younger Severus started; an excited look on his face.

"Where ish your Motsher, boy?" Tobias cut off.

"I don't know sir. But earlier she told me that I was-," Severus tried again, only to be cut off by his father, again.

"You don't know! My owsh shon has no idea whersh hish motsher ish! I betsh your lying!" Tobias said starting toward Severus with his hand held high.

"No! Father don't, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I can find Mum for you, I can! I can use my power!" Severus said out of fear, and then he clamped his hand over his mouth as if he said a curse.

"Power? Whatsh power? Likesh your motsher? Didsh she telsh you thasth you're a wizarsh liksh your motsher?" Tobias asked, getting louder and advancing closer with each question. Severus backed away in fear, raising his arms in defense of a blow that was bound to come. The older Snape went to get up to help him, to shield him from his father when the woman cut him off.

"Get off me! I need to help him, help me!" Snape said, struggling against her viselike grip.

"You can't," she said calmly, still holding onto him. "It's a memory, remember? You can't change what is going to happen."

Snape quit struggling and the woman let him go. He stalked back to the couch again and sat, staring moodily at the scene. His father had fallen as he went to go make a swing at the younger Severus. The boy went to go help him up but obscenities from his father kept him away.

"I'm going to kilsh your motsher when I find hersh," Tobias muttered darkly, clumsily getting to his feet. He got up and stalked to another room. The younger Severus ran away from where he was cornered and hid behind the couch. Snape wanted to pull him out of there, to hold him and take him away from the nightmare that would shape his life forever. But he couldn't. "I used to hide there when it got bad like this," Snape mused. "Father has probably staggered to the bedroom by now, if he hasn't fallen on his face yet. He'll drag Mother out of there with her kicking and screaming."

Sure enough, feminine screams filled the air and soon Tobias had reentered the scene dragging a kicking Eileen by the hair. He pinned her against the wall where sunlight shone brightly through. Eileen screamed even harder, as if in agonizing pain. Snape tried not to flinch at the screams. "I always hated this part the worse, more than anything else. The screams…. they sound like something from the night. It always gave me nightmares for days afterword." Tobias had kept her pinned against the wall where he was shouting at her.

"Did you telsh him your liesh, huh? Did you trysh to turnsh him againsht me?" he asked, shaking Eileen's shoulders hard.

"No! No, no, no. I didn't turn him against you. Honey, I just told him that he can grow to be greater than you. Not to turn him against you," She answered fearfully. Apparently that wasn't the right answer because he hit her, hard. Severus remained hidden, flinching at every sound of fist making contact to skin. The beatings and the screaming went on for a while until Tobias had enough.

"You will neversh telsh my kidsh again what you toldsh him, or I'll hit your shorry ass worsh," Tobias slurred. He staggered to his room and slammed the door, leaving a broken woman and a silently crying boy. After a few minutes Eileen weakly got up, muttering something to herself. She walked to where Severus was hiding and picked him up. He was still crying, but he was too afraid to cry aloud. She hugged him and whispered, "Where is my brave little hero? Where is the Dark Son that will save the Night? Who will free us from our prison here? But I cannot wait that long. It's time for the Night to become my ally once again. I will miss you, my little hero. But don't you never, ever think that I didn't love you. No, I love you so much that I have to leave."

"Where Mum? Why can't I go with you?" Severus shakily asked.

"I don't remember this," Snape said, looking surprised. The woman did not answer, but she was looking misty eyed.

"I can't tell you now why or where, but I can tell you that one day I will come back and explain everything. I swear it on the River Styx," Eileen answered sadly, putting the boy down. "Your father will not kill you if I leave, but if I stay he will. Anything to keep me from breaking free. Make sure your Father sends you to the school of magic. Make sure that you get trained to be the greatest hero of all." With that she went to the door.

"No! I want to go with you!" Severus wailed.

"Shhh, don't scream. Or do you want your father to wake?" Eileen reprimanded.

Severus nodded his head no then went on quietly, "Mummy, please. Don't leave me. I need you."

"I know, I know. But you need to grow up to be like Heracles and Odysseus. You need to become my little hero."

"But I don't-," Severus almost yelled, and then quickly whispered, "I don't _want_ to be a hero like them. I want to be with _you_.

"I'm sorry Severus. One day you'll understand. By Zeus I'll make you understand if you have to. Goodbye my μελαχροινός γιος, _dark son_" She gave him one last hug before going through the door. Severus sat there dumbfounded for a moment then opened the door to chase after her.

"Mummy! Wait! I'm sorry, I'll learn! Please don't leave!" Severus screamed, but no one was there. He began to cry and the scene dissolved but Snape heard one last thing before it disappeared completely, "_Obliviate._" Snape stood there in the white nothingness, baffled by the memory he himself could not remember.

The woman turned to him with sad eyes. Even though the eyes were blacker than he remembered, he saw his mother in them. But that did not stop his anger at her betrayal. "You! You kept this from me! All along I assumed that you walked out without saying a word! Leaving me for dead! How could you?" He shouted angrily, he turned away and start to walk away to nowhere.

"Wait! Please stop μελαχροινός γιος!" She cried after him, taking off at a sprint. He stopped, a warm feeling entering him when he heard that name. But he couldn't remember why which made him angry all over again so he resumed his march. His solitude did not last long, however, and soon she was by his side and dragging him to a halt. "Hear me out," she pleaded.

"What? What do you want to say that will 'make this all better'? Because it sure as hell won't," he snarled, trying to get out of her grip. "I don't even know you anyway!"

"I'm your mum," she answered in a sad whisper.

"I got that much. But apparently you are not everything I was made to believe. For all I know you are some crazed criminal!" Snape countered.

"Fine. You want to know the truth. I'm Nyx, okay? Happy now?" Nyx said irritatingly.

"Nyx…. the name rings a bell," Snape said.

"As it should. I'm the Greek goddess of the night. In fact, I _am _the night," Nyx continued. "There's even a spell named after me, _Nox_."

"So you're saying that I'm a son of someone who isn't supposed to exist," Snape verified.

"Yep. Except I do exist."

"That's rubbish! You really expect me to believe that? I'm dead! It doesn't matter anymore. Quit playing your mind games and tell me the truth for once!" Snape snapped. Nyx looked like she got a slap to the face. But he was too far gone to care. "All you did was lie to me when I was a child and you're still lying now! I've had enough!" He backed away. "For all I know this," he spread out his arms to emphasize his point, "is another hallucination."

"Damn it Severus! You are just as stubborn as your shitty father! Don't you get it? This is real. You are my child and thus you're the child of a _goddess_. You have more power than you ever dreamed of, more power than anyone you ever met!"

"More powerful than Dumbledore, or perhaps Potter?" Snape asked, intrigued by this new prospect.

"Yes. Now you get my point. You have more power than they could ever dream of. You just never knew it."

"Well, why didn't you tell me before?" Snape asked uncertainly.

"Because Zeus, the asshole, ordered that we aren't allowed to contact our kids," she explained.

"Okay. So then why didn't I realize that I had more power before? Shouldn't I have noticed something during my school years, or when I was attacked?"

"You brushed it aside. Anything strange that happened to you you dismissed as uncontrolled magic. Remember all the times when James and Sirius chased you?"

He gave her a sharp look. "Of course. But how do you know that?" He asked menacingly.

She rolled her eyes as if the answer was obvious, "Goddess, remember? See all, hear all. You know, the traditional stereotypical stuff?"

"No, I don't," he answered snidely.

"Let's not change subject," she said sharply. "Remember when they chased you through the halls and you would hide behind a tapestry or around a corner or at another hidey-hole and you just wished that you could melt into the shadows? They would run right by you and never even glance in your direction. Remember when you wished that your rowdy Slytherin dorm mates would just go to sleep so you could too and they would just pass out? No reason whatsoever? Remember when you would just be reading or doing something and all of a sudden glimpses of things totally different would pass before your eyes before disappearing just as fast? Remember when you could convince people to do your will, just by looking at them in the eyes? Rem-,"

"Stop! I don't want to hear anymore, I get your point! I had powers but I just ignored them so instead of becoming a great hero-," he started only to be cut off by Nyx.

"Now I never said that. I was just stating the evidence that proves you're my son."

"Well, I get that now, Mother," he said, stressing the word Mother. "But it doesn't matter, I'm still dead."

"Goddess of night, remember? One of your siblings-,"

"One of? How many siblings do I have?" he asked worriedly.

"Several. Anyway Thanatos, the god of death, is my son so it shouldn't be hard to convince him not to reap you and take you to the Underworld," she continued.

"Reaped?" Snape yelped. He did not like the sound of that.

"He won't once I talk to him, so quit worrying."

"Why do you want me alive anyway? Other than the fact that you're my mother," he hastily added.

"I'm not the one who wants you alive," she answered. When she notice his alarmed look she added, "It's not that I don't want you alive, it's just that I take death better than most people. I don't have any more use for you alive, to put it simply." This did not ease his alarm and she noticed that. "Shit, this is coming out wrong. You see-,"

"Nyx, I think you said enough. Thank you for attempting to explain everything but I think that it would be more effective if you visit Thanatos," a feminine voice interrupted. "I'll take it from here." Nyx and Snape turned to the voice. She too was wearing Greek robes except hers were solid white. She had bronze armor in the style of the ancient Greeks on. A helmet with a red plume fit perfectly on her head and curls of black fell across her shoulders. On one of her arms an owl rested. In the hand on that arm was a shield with a truly vile face on it. After a moment of scrutinizing Snape realized that the Greek lettering framing the shield translated into _Aegis_. He was stunned that he could understand it but realized that it must have come with being a half-blood. In her other hand was a bronze sword. Her eyes were a slate gray that were filled with wisdom. Her skin was an olive tan. But even with all of these unique features, Snape could not identify her.

"You're welcome. I guess I'll go now," she replied reluctantly. Nyx looked at Snape longingly and said, "Bye honey, I'll be back soon with Thanatos." Pointing at the mystery woman she said, "She'll explain everything." With that she just disappeared, leaving Snape motherless, again.

"Did you enjoy your reunion, Severus? I sure hope so, I know that Nyx did," the woman said after a long, uncomfortable silence. Snape ignored the question. He had bigger things on his mind like how she knew his name and what she wanted from him.

"Don't worry, I know exactly what I want from you and I will tell you everything," she said, apparently reading his thoughts.

"Get out of my head!" Snape grumbled. "Who are you anyway?"

"I'm sorry, if you really wish I will refrain from reading your mind. It's a habit that comes with my…. specialty. My name is Athena, by the way. I'm the goddess of wisdom and the state, as well as protectress of heroes, like you."

"I'm no hero. I also don't need a protectress," Snape argued.

"Really? Then why is your body lacking breath and a soul? If you really don't need a protectress then you wouldn't be here, would you?" she said with a sarcastic tone. Snape remained silent, knowing she had him there. Maybe she really was the goddess of wisdom. He better tread carefully. "I thought so."

"Okay, I get who you are. The question is, what do you want with me?" Snape asked impatiently.

"Ah, always the heroes' question. Why does a god or goddess want them. To be my hero of course," she said as if it were obvious.

"I got that when you called me hero. I mean specifically."

"Oh, I just need you to find someone for me," Athena said casually.

"Who?"

"One of my children."

Snape rolled his eyes. "One out of how many?"

Athena flinched at the comment, "You don't need to know. All you need to know is that you are the only one who can find and help her."

"Her?"

"Yes her," Athena said impatiently. "I need you to locate her and befriend her. I would have Harry Potter or-,"

"Potter's a demigod?" Snape asked, surprised. Didn't see that one coming.

"Yes, but he's no use. She wouldn't listen to him. She wouldn't listen to my son Draco either, too much rivalry."

Snape couldn't help but chuckle at this. Wait until Narcissa found out. And she thought Lucius was a bastard anyways. Then he stopped laughing suddenly. If she wouldn't listen to Draco because of a rivalry that means they know each other. And if they know each other that means…

"She's a student from Hogwarts, isn't she? Isn't she?" Snape demanded after Athena refused to respond. In a quiet whisper he added, "Its Hermione Granger isn't it?" Athena nodded solemnly. "Why can't Potter do it? He's her best mate," after a moment of thinking he added, "He isn't dead is he? Did Voldemort win?"

Athena backed away in horror, "No! How could you think that! Potter's not dead; Voldemort is rotting in the deepest depths of Tartarus. Good riddance at that too," she muttered.

"Then why can't Potter find her?"

"Because she ran away, dammit! She threw her whole life away, faked her death. Everyone believes she's dead, just like you. She wouldn't want Harry showing up on her doorstep. She would consider it an insult."

"Like me showing up would make it any better. The trio thought that they saw me die! She would think that she's haunted or crazy!" Snape argued.

"That's exactly why I need you. Harry saw you die and since everyone believes what Harry says, to the Wizarding world…."

"I am," Snape finished. "I hate being used."

Athena smiled at him, "It should be an easy job. Find her, convince her to accept her destiny as a demigod and keep her safe while you're at it. And you won't be dead."

"Isn't that your job?" Snape asked, referring to the whole protector thing.

"Not this time. Zeus has been very strict on the whole demigod/godly parent visitation thing. If Zeus found out Nyx's and my involvement we would both be in big trouble."

"So in other words, keep this conversation to myself."

"Correct."

"Who will I be protecting her from anyway? And how? I lost my wand and I have no experience in your world."

Athena shrugged, "Danger could come from everywhere or nowhere."

"Very cryptic, thanks. Now could you point me in the direction of the loo or does my bladder show me where to go?" He asked sarcastically, not really meaning it.

Athena gave him a cold look and he started to regret his word choice when Nyx appeared with an angry man that had black hair and dark tan skin. _Must be Thanatos, _Snape guessed. She had him by the hand and was dragging him towards Snape and Athena.

"I got him! Almost got stuck in the Fields of Asphodel, but I got him!" Nyx said wearily. "Hi, honey! How'd it go between you and Athena? I hope she explained everything?" She asked Snape.

"It went perfectly. I understand so much better now," Snape replied, not taking his eyes off of the very angry goddess in front of him.

"Good! Severus, meet Thanatos. Thanatos, meet Severus." They both glared at each other. Nyx looked helplessly between them. "At least shake hands or something," She urged.

"Hi," they both mumbled at the same time.

"Can I revoke all death charges on him now? Hades won't be happy if I'm gone too long," Thanatos asked impatiently. Yep, definitely Snape's half-brother.

"No!" Athena said sharply. "I'm not done yet. You can have him when I am." She looked at Snape, "You will need all the help you can get. Take this; it will protect you from all foes." She handed him _Aegis_. He grabbed it and it collapsed into a silver watch around his wrist.

"How does it work?" Snape asked, examining the gift.

"You will know when the time comes," Athena answered cryptically.

"In other words, pull the time reset piece," Thanatos clarified. Athena gave him a cold look. "What? He _is _my half-brother."

Nyx walked up to Severus next, her eyes brimming with tears. "I've never been so proud of you. But even on your own you'll need help." She pulled a wand out of her robes. It was the most gorgeous one that Snape had ever seen. It was a black wood with deep purple, sapphire and silver runes etched along it.

"Mum! You can't be serious? You're giving him your wand? That's insane!" Thanatos complained.

"Wait. That's your wand? I can't possibly-," Snape started.

"Yes, you will. Besides, it's yours. I had it custom made at Ollivander's shortly after you were born." After an exasperated look from Thanatos she continued, "The wood is from a tree in Persephone's garden in the Underworld. It's lined with Stygian Iron and I've charmed it to become a sword when it needs to. The core is one of my feathers. I hope you like it, it will help." Nyx stated, her voice cracking.

Snape examined the wand some more. On it was Ancient Greek runes and after a second of studying it he managed to translate what it said. "Στρύχνος, _Nightshade_," He breathed. He turned to Nyx who looked like she was ready to cry and hugged her. "Thank you so much, Mother. I will never forget this. I forgive you," He whispered to the now crying Nyx.

"Sorry to interrupt your little reunion over there but I'm on a time schedule. Souls to reap, ghosts to catch," Thanatos interrupted.

"Right, right," Nyx said, letting go of Snape and wiping away her black tears. "Take care, μελαχροινός γιος."

Thanatos walked up to Snape and pulled out an electronic device of some sort. It was pure black and the size of a sheet of paper. On the back was an apple symbol. Thanatos used his finger to scroll through the device until he found a list. "Severus Snape, died on May 2, 1998 from multiple lacerations and snake bites to the neck. Wait, nope. Killed by Keres poison. Must have snuck in after you murderer left. Distasteful things," Thanatos said disgustedly. "This makes it a little harder to erase you from the file but," he tapped some things on the tablet. "Aha! Gotcha off the list. Next time though, there will be no exceptions. You'll be mine," Thanatos said darkly, before quickly going back to his impatient mood. "Can I send him back now?" Thanatos asked Athena while checking his obsidian watch.

"Go ahead, I'm done with him," Athena replied casually waving her hand dismissively.

"Wait! I almost forgot something," Nyx interrupted. She handed Snape a bag. "There's some drachmas in there as well as some Muggle and Wizard currency. There are also some rations, a newspaper, an ID, and some nectar and ambrosia. They'll heal almost anything. Don't eat it all at once though," she hastily warned. "If you do you'll spontaneously combust."

"I'm not planning on becoming a human match, but thanks for the warning," Snape replied.

"Ready now?" Thanatos asked. All three nodded in agreement. "Good. Ξυπνήστε, _awaken_."

Tendrils of black smoke started to envelop Snape and soon everything faded to black. The next thing he knew he was laying on a cot in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. Two centaurs were standing near him silently as if mourning. Snape groggily sat up only to have what felt like a hammer smash into his skull. He quickly fell back onto the cot, startling the two centaurs.

"By the gods, he's alive!" one of the centaurs said in wonder.

"So he is, Firenze. And look what he came back to the dead with," said the other centaur. He grabbed a bag, a wand and a watch that Snape recognized to be his own and held them up for Firenze to see.

"Give me those things back. They're mine," Snape grumbled weakly. He struggled to his feet and started to lose balance. The two centaurs caught him and held him steady.

"Easy does it," the older centaur said, "you just came back from the dead. You need to take it easy."

"What I need is to get going," Snape replied.

"But you're not fully healed yet!" argued Firenze.

"I feel fine. Thank you for your help but I must get going. How long have I been out? A day, two?" Snape asked. The two centaurs exchanged looks and muttered something among themselves. After a moment the older centaur, presumably his healer, pushed Firenze toward him.

"Well, um, I," Firenze stuttered.

"Out with it already!" Snape snapped. Firenze took a gulp of air then continued quickly.

"You've been out for two _years_, not two days. The year is 2000."

Snape stumbled back. "Impossible! I wasn't out that long, was I?"

"I'm afraid to say that you were. We almost gave up hope on you when you came out of that trance," the healer added. Snape couldn't believe this. No way was that possible. He reached into his bag and pulled out the newspaper. It was a Muggle one from London and looked brand new. He read the front line and almost dropped the paper. It read: _PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR AND THE NEW MILLENIA._ The date read January 2, 2000.

"What time of year is this?" Snape asked quietly.

"Spring," Firenze answered simply.

"Month I mean," Snape clarified.

"Oh, it's May. May the second, actually."

Snape sighed. A quest he could handle. Unexpected time change was something different. But he had to. "Nyx told me that this newspaper would give me clues to where I need to go next," he said mainly to himself. "The location of the paper is London so there I shall go. Thanks again, I owe you one," he said to the centaurs. With that he Apparated to London.

It was dawn when Snape arrived in a London alley. He opened his bag and pulled out the Muggle clothes that his mother had folded neatly in there. When he was done changing he put his robes in the bag and ate a small piece of ambrosia to conquer his throbbing headache. Immediately it went away, leaving the taste of chocolate cake in his mouth (his mother used to bake them when he was younger). "Time to be a Muggle," he muttered to himself and walked out onto the street. He passed a newspaper vendor and paid for one with some of the Euros his mother gave him. He started to walk and read when he passed a shop window and saw himself with the corner of his eye. He turned to the window and looked at the new him. "Holy shit," he muttered.

Snape looked like he just graduated from Hogwarts, not 38. His normally long, greasy hair was cut to the scalp and clean. He had some scars from his wounds but that was all that remained of his brush with death. All of his worry lines had disappeared leaving his face smooth. His skin had gotten a little darker and not as pasty. He was wearing dark jeans that were faded at the knees and a black skin-tight t-shirt and black shoes. In short, he was handsomer than ever before. Even his crooked nose from where his dad had broken it in the past didn't look nearly as bad as before.

After his moment of self-admiration he started walking aimlessly again while reading the classified part of the newspaper. The reason? If Snape was going to go on a wild goose chase he was going to need a base of operations. After some looking he found an ad that caught his eye. Silvia Quilb's advertisement. Taking it as a sign, he started to make plans to make a visit to Number 30 Daisy Apartments.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"_Closing time_

_Time for you to go out, out into the world_

_Closing time_

_Turn the lights up over every boy and every girl_

_Closing time_

_One last call for alcohol so finish you whiskey or beer_

_Closing time_

_You don't have to go home but you can't stay here"_

_-Semisonic "Closing Time"_

It had been two weeks since Silvia had put her ad in the paper. Two weeks of waiting anxiously by the telephone, hoping, praying that someone sane would call. Some people did but not a lot. The ones who did were complete wackos. None were magical weird, but they were asylum weird. One kept thinking she was male. Another kept making inappropriate comments about her apartment like, "I bet that couch is very comfy, a good place for lap dances." A third was a lesbian, which she didn't mind, but she kept hitting on her. Now THAT was a no no. The latest was a black man, which she also didn't mind, but she swore she smelled weed coming off of his "cigarette" and at one point when he went to make a call she overheard mentions of "making a deal" and lots of references to "rocks" and "crystals". No way was she going to risk jail time to pay a few bills. Was the world convinced to see her fail? She sighed and continued to polish the table at the club. People were starting to file out slowly and Silvia wanted to get some cleaning done so she could leave a little early with them.

She finished her cleaning two hours early and put in her time card. As she went to her locker to grab her coat she found a note stuck in one of the slits of the locker door. She pulled it out and it read: Got a call asking for you. Didn't give a number let alone a name. Weird right? Either way he said he was asking about the ad you put in the paper. You haven't become a whore, have you? He said he was staying at a Sunset Inn a couple of blocks from here and that he will pay you a visit sometime soon. Be careful, that guy's voice gave me the chills. I'm just not sure if it was the good kind or not. Love you buddy! – Alisha

Silvia reread the note to make sure she was right. Yes she was. There was somebody that could possibly become her roomie! She snorted at the whole whore part. That would be Alisha to jump to conclusions as wild as that. Alisha was one of her closet friends and worked at the club with her. She was a pretty woman with chocolate skin and dark curly hair. Her eyes were honey colored and attracted many customers to her. She didn't mind (unlike Silvia would) and she kept a can of mace on her just in case the wrong sort got too close. Like Silvia she also enjoyed the scene look on life and had highlighted her hair a bright blue. She was the feisty one of Silvia's group of friends and wasn't afraid to say what she thought and get in fights with people. And she was super protective. In short she was Silvia's bodyguard.

But like Alisha said, some of the facts bothered her. She knew of the Sunset Inn, that is where she stayed briefly when she first arrived in London. By briefly she meant one hour. The place was as low as low could get. Smoke filled the halls from cigarettes and weed and she was sure most of the rooms were always "busy" if you get what she's getting at. The beds were water beds and there were mirrors everywhere (gross). The T.V. didn't work but its VHS sure as hell did. The beds were unkempt and hers had bedbugs (that was the last straw for Silvia, she WAS NOT going to sleep in a buggy bed). As soon as she checked in she checked out and had found a Holliday Inn a couple more blocks down that was way better. If this man was staying there that meant he was one of a few things: a man with no money to speak of and won't help her pay bills, another druggie, a pimp (she was NOT going to deal with that kind), extremely desperate, or a fugitive. Now there was also the itsy bitsy chance that he was a perfectly sane guy who just hit a rough spot or couldn't find a vacant hotel for the night but she didn't believe that that was the case. She had enough experience to know that. Also no name? Everyone else had given her their name (or fake name) when they had arranged an open house. What was he hiding that made revealing his name so impossible? Maybe he WAS a fugitive. And why did Alisha say that his voice gave her the chills? Was it menacing? No nonsense? She had heard voices similar to that in her past. Maybe it was raspy, or maybe, maybe, it was the sexiest voice ever and Alisha got the good type of chills. Doubtful, Silvia reasoned. But there was only one way to find out. Meet him in person. Then Silvia chuckled at an absurd thought that had entered her head. What if he was really a she? And she just had an abnormally low voice? Or what if he was a sex change? Now THAT would be interesting. Then she stopped laughing suddenly. What if it was _him_? Or one of _his_ type? She would have to disappear again and move somewhere else and get a new name. _No, don't go there Silvia. They wouldn't recognize you anyway_, she reassured herself. She crumpled up the note and threw it away. She didn't have enough change for a taxi today so she got on her bike and rode off into the London dawn towards her flat.

Severus stopped walking for a moment to shift his bag to his other shoulder. He rubbed his now free shoulder to try to loosen the stiff muscles. He had been walking all day now and it was taking his toll on him. He was exhausted, thirsty, and hungry. His headache had also reappeared with ten times the force. He was tempted to eat another piece of ambrosia but he wanted to save it. Just in case he ran across another Nagini or something of the sort. It was getting dark and the smart Londoners were heading to their homes, jobs or dinner. As he walked he started smelling food. Really good smelling food.

He followed the scent to a fast food restaurant that was apparently pretty popular considering the amount of people coming and going from it. The sign in front was a large, lit-up, yellow M and underneath was the title McDonald's®. He had heard of the place before back at an Order meeting a couple of years back. If he remembered correctly someone was getting them all McDonald's® for dinner and they had asked him if he wanted to join them. He quickly turned down the offer and had abruptly left. He stared at the joint with increasing hunger. It was a Muggle place, yes, but he was a Muggle now so what harm could it be? He walked in to the brightly lit building and got in line with everyone else.

The menu was pretty large and everything looked pretty appealing. Even better it was cheap. As he waited he noticed a family ordering. They couldn't quite decide on anything and their children were no help. They were crying over not getting the right toy with their food and how they wanted cheeseburgers instead of chicken nuggets then when the order was changed they started complaining that they didn't want _that_ anymore. This went on for some time and the parents did nothing to stop it._ If I was their father I would knock them into tomorrow for their misbehavior. If I was their teacher they would have had detention for weeks,_ Severus mused.

"Sir? Are you going to order?" a polite voice asked, snapping him back into reality. He looked to the cashier, a petite older woman.

"Oh, sorry, I just got a little distracted," he confessed.

"It's okay. But are you going to order or just stand there? There are people waiting," the woman asked again, this time more coldly.

"Of course I am! Why else would I be standing here?" he rudely replied, his patience on end. She just shrugged her shoulders. "Either way I would like two burgers and a large fry. I would also like a large coke." Severus ordered.

She punched in the order and said, "That'll be £3.08 (author's note: I have made the stupid mistake of thinking that England uses Euros (obviously I'm not English or European) so instead of Nyx giving him Euros think that she gave him pounds. Sorry if I offended anyone!).

He pulled out the appropriate payment and handed it to her (it took awhile because he was not accustomed to the poundage system but remembered a little from when he had went to his neighborhood five and dime to get candy when he was little). After a couple of minutes his food came out and he started walking and eating while searching for a hotel for the night.

After about two hours of searching he came across a dive of an inn called the Sunset Inn. The neon lights on the sign flickered ominously, threatening to go out any minute. Junk covered the lawn and the building was old and dirty. But Severus was out of options and anything was better than sleeping in the street. Besides didn't heroes have to put up the horrible conditions occasionally? He walked into the office where a wrinkled old woman sat reading a magazine. The TV was on behind her and was showing some game show. She had a cigarette in one hand and a pack that was half empty sat on the desk. The ashtray was in need of emptying and a bottle of whiskey sat next to it and it too was half empty. He strode up to the woman and waited for an acknowledgement. It never came.

"Excuse me," Severus said politely, his voice the only noise other than the TV and some yelling from one of the rooms nearby. The woman did not acknowledge him still.

"Excuse me," he pressed again, this time with more force. Still no reply.

"Excuse me!" he nearly shouted, anger flaring up. The woman glanced up from her magazine.

"What do you want?" she asked, returning to the magazine.

"I don't know. How about a room?" He rudely replied. He was tired of these Muggle games. If only they knew who exactly they were talking to.

She set the paper down and moved to her computer and started clicking things with the mouse. "There's one room open. One queen, smoking, one bath, comes with a TV, VHS and a kitchenette," she stated plainly. Her voice was raspy, a sure sign that she was a chain smoker.

"How much per night?" he asked.

"£210."

He stared at her in shock. "Are you kidding me? This place is a dump. The room can't be worth that much!"

"It's the nicest room in the whole place. And the last. I also know for a fact that all the other nearby hotels are no longer vacant. So unless you think pavement is a comfortable bed then I would pay up," she argued.

"150," he haggled.

"220," she raised the price.

"175," he continued.

"200"

"190"

"195"

"Deal," he shook her hand to seal it and pulled out the gold card Nyx had given him. "Do you take Visa?"

She laughed at this, "This place wouldn't be operational if we didn't take Visa!"

He gave it to her and she swiped it. Her eyes grew as wide as snitches. "Are you sure there is no nicer place to be at, sir?" she asked in an out-of-character polite tone.

"Positive, I just spent the past two hours searching. Why, is there something wrong?"

"N-no sir. It's just well, your card is unlimited. You know that right?" she asked in shock.

He stared at her dumfoundedly, "No I didn't."

She looked at him suspiciously. _Great she probably thinks I lifted the card. Thanks Nyx, _he thought bitterly. "What's you name again, sir?"

"Prince. Severus Prince."

"Middle initial?"

"T"

She read the information on the computer. Apparently he had guessed what Nyx had registered the card under correctly because she handed the card back and smiled. "Have a very good evening Mr. Prince. If you need anything use the phone in your room to let me know. The name's Ms. Marlene by the way."

"Thanks Ms. Marlene." He went to leave when she stopped him.

"You forgot your key!" she exclaimed, handing it to him. "Second floor, last one on the right." He thanked her and went to his room. The room to his immediate left was filled with yelling and what sounded like a blasting TV. He went into his room and pulled out Nightshade. He cast _Silencio_ and _Muffliato_ so no one could hear him and he didn't have to hear anyone else. He then examined his surroundings.

The room was the dirtiest room he had ever been in. Even the Dungeons were cleaner. He cast cleaning charms to the room and converted the water bed to a regular feather mattress. He checked for bedbugs and did find a few which he quickly killed using a bug extermination spell_. _Afterwards he went to the phone and dialed Silvia Quilb's number. It rang and rang until he heard her voicemail. _"Hello! This is Silvia Quilb. Sorry I couldn't answer the phone right now. I'm probably off at work so if you want you can try me there at 5555-1009. Leave a message and I'll get back to you. Bye!"_ He hung up the phone and entered the new number. It rang a couple of times and he was about to hang up when a voice picked up.

"Hello! This is Big Mike's Nightclub! I'm Alisha Sanders. How may I help you? We offer rentals, private boxes, and DJ's for your perfect party. Our hours are from 5 pm to 2 am," Alisha began and continued rattling off the services Big Mike's offered. Severus quickly cut her off.

"Hi, is a Silvia Quilb there?" he asked.

"Not yet. Her shift hasn't started yet. May I take a message?" Alisha politely responded.

"Yeah. Can you let her know that I'm looking into her ad in the paper and that I'm trying to get a hold of her?" He heard her scramble around for a pen and pad and heard her mutter to herself what she told him.

"Hold of her. Got it. May I have a return number?"

"I'm sorry I'm staying at a hotel. I don't know it."

"Can I know where you're staying at?"

"The Sunset Inn. It's a couple of blocks from where you are." He had passed Big Mike's earlier while hotel searching.

"I know the place," she replied rather coldly. What caused the sudden change in mood?

"Good."

"Well can I have a name Mr.?" she asked breaking an awkward silence that had followed.

_Hang up. Now!_ A voice whispered in him. He listened to it and quickly hanged up the phone. "I guess I'll try her again tomorrow," he told himself.

-Big Mike's Nightclub-

"Jerk," Alisha commented, putting the phone away. She finished writing her note to Silvia and stuck it in her locker. "I mean, who does that? No name, no number. Creep. And his voice…..man his voice. Soft but deep. Sexy but equally dangerous. The Sunset Inn? That place has bad vibes written all over it. My Grandma in New Orleans would think it had bad mojo or something. What did Silvia get into?" She asked herself as she put in her own time card and went home for the night.

-Back at the Sunset Inn-

_Damn burgers. They're gonna kill me, _Severus thought as he puked in the toilet for what felt like the 50th time that night. He had gotten sick a little while after he had called the club looking for Silvia. _Whose voice sounded so familiar on the voicemail_, Severus thought again. He had been puking on and off since then for Lord knows how long and had a fever. _Food poisoning certainly couldn't cause this!_

"It doesn't. Unless you eat some of Iris' "organic" food. That stuff about killed me," a familiar voice said from the bathroom doorway. Severus stopped retching long enough to glance up at the intruder.

"Well, well, look who shows up. Did you dothistome?" he asked only to hurl into the toilet again.

Nyx flinched and didn't answer. Severus raised his head long enough to give her an incredulous look. "You did didn't you! Was nearly getting killed and being comatose for two years not satisfying enough for you?"

"I am the reason you are sick. But not in the way you think," she replied cryptically. Typical.

"Well in what way th-," more retching from a Mr. Prince.

"It's a genetic thing. As you are my son you will go through a Change. Normally it starts around puberty but the Fates have decided to wait until you left the magical world."

"A Change? Like Remus Lupin/werewolf Change?"

"No,no,no," she chuckled. "You're Changing, permanently, into a true creature of the Night. Not a pathetic half-breed."

"Glad someone thinks being a creature of the Night is a good thing," Severus sarcastically said. His retching had stopped for now and he knew that he only had minutes before it came back.

"Well it is. Being a Vampyre is way better than being a werewolf, or shifter," Nyx stated matter-of-factly.

Severus nearly dropped dead then and there. "Say again?"

Nyx rolled her eyes. "Do I have to spell it out for you? You're Changing into a Vampyre. V-A-M-P-Y-R-E. Not V-A-M-P-_I_-R-E. Two very different things. One is the one of stereotype, the other is what you're becoming."

"Um, what's the difference?" Severus asked dumbly. He was still wrapping his mind around the whole vampyre thing.

"Sunlight will not cause you to burn up; it will be irritating and can cause burns if you're exposed too long though. The whole sleeping in coffins thing is completely fake and whoever made up that lie paid for it dearly. You're not allergic to garlic. You don't have to be invited in, though it should be common courtesy for everyone to not enter a home unless asked. You don't turn into a bat. That stereotype was caused by a warlock/vampyre whose Animagus was a bat. Um…let me think… Wooden stakes and holy water won't kill you. I can't really think of anything else though I bet there is some stereotype out there that I didn't just cover."

"Oh, I don't know, how about the whole BLOOD SUCKING THING!" Severus sarcastically pointed out.

"Right, thanks for reminding me. Yeah you gotta drink blood," Nyx replied casually, as if there was nothing wrong with that.

"NO FUCKING WAY! I am not going to drink blood!"

"Your loss," Nyx shrugged her shoulders. "When you're on the brink of death from starvation you come find me."

Severus looked at her resignedly. "Do I really have to?"

Nyx nodded her head. "It's not as bad as you think though."

"But I really, _really _don't like the idea of drinking blood off of a body."

"And that's why you have options! You can drink animal blood, which is not as good as human but it will suffice. Or if you are really squeamish I can keep you stocked with bags of human blood from my own private stores!" She clasped her hands together in delight. Severus was about to spit a nasty comment at her when he suddenly felt a white hot pain in his back. He collapsed to the floor writhing and crying out in pain.

"And, on top of it all, since you're my Chosen Hero you also get….wings!" Nyx announced happily.

Severus could only groan in reply. Then the pain overwhelmed him and he passed out.

"Oh dear, let's move you to the bed," Nyx said in a motherly tone. She pulled out her own wand and said, "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" Severus' unconscious body rose into the air and she moved him to the bed were she gently put him down. She then pulled a chair to his bedside and started stroking his head and murmuring an old Greek lullaby.

Author's Note: Ain't she the best mother in the world! Dropping bombshells on poor Severus like there wasn't a problem with it. It's only when he finally passes out does motherly instinct finally take over. But honestly can you blame her? She never really raised him so she has no idea on what to do. She's just trying her best (and failing epically). But it's the thought that counts right? Right….

Please Review!


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_"I feel it deep within,_

_It's just beneath the skin_

_I must confess that I_

_Feel like a monster" _

_-Skillet "Monster"_

"Ughh," Severus moaned, coming back to consciousness. He opened his eyes and noticed that he was lying on the hotel bed. Suddenly, with a mugginess that was commonly associated with a hangover, memories made their way to the surface. Something about him puking all night by the toiled and Nyx telling him something….

But she wasn't there last night, was she? No matter, he had to get over this setback and find his way to Silvia Quilb's apartment that way he could properly begin his search. Some more rest in the comfy bed was a better idea to his mind and he ended up just laying there, staring at the ceiling, an unknown tune playing in his head.

As he lay there he felt an uncomfortable mound beneath him that most certainly wasn't the blankets. Deciding that he was probably lying on his bag he reached an arm behind his back, not bothering to sit up, to pull it out from under him. Instead his hand pulled back with only a fistful of feathers.

"What in Merlin?" he muttered, sitting up. He twisted around, looking at the bed he had been laying on and noticed a handful or two of black feathers littered on it. Confused, he got off the bed and went to a mirror to see if anything of a feathery substance was stuck to his back.

His tired eyes examined the mirror and grew wide in fright and shock. Attached to his back were two black wings! Severus yelped and his hands immediately went to his back, feeling where the wings attached to his spinal cord. The memories of the night before started to clarify themselves in his moment of self discovery and now he vaguely remembered Nyx telling him about her being his Chosen Hero which meant he was gifted with wings. With a cold feeling, he also remembered the whole tidbit about turning into a vampyre.

Nothing different other than the wings adorned him, but as he peered at himself in the mirror, looking for the most subtle changes, he noticed that there was a small sapphire tattoo on his forehead. Inspecting it more closely, Severus noticed that the sapphire tattoo was in the shape of a crescent moon, much like his mother's, except his wasn't filled in. Nyx must have been right, he was a vampyre now and this tattoo marked it.

Severus opened his mouth and examined his teeth. They were straighter and whiter than he remembered his being but his canines were no pointier than they ever had been. Perhaps they only grew in when he was in need of blood. Blood….

The single thought of blood both intrigued and sickened Severus. He understood that he would have to start drinking it in order to survive but being raised as the human he thought he was had convinced that drinking blood was disgusting and a major no no. But since he felt no thirst for it he dismissed the argument in his brain and decided to solve it when the time came.

Severus went back to his bed and got rid of the feathers that had shed from him in his sleep. It would be one hell of an explanation if the cleaning lady had to clean it up. He then made his bed for good measure and transfigured it back to a water bed to also avoid suspicion.

Soon, Severus was moving in a flurry, finding his few belongings that were scattered throughout the room. As he checked his nightstand for his watch he noticed a small letter sitting opened; a small tub and a bottle sitting on it. He put the two objects aside and grabbed the letter. He recognized his mother's handwriting immediately, written in delicate purple ink.

_My Dark Son,_

_ I apologize profusely once more for my abandonment of you as I child. I know you have forgiven me and I appreciate it but what I did can never really be truly forgiven, even if you say so._

_ Moving on to present happenings. By now you must have noticed the new appendages on your back. These wings are a gift from me to you. Every Chosen Hero gets a set that matches their god or goddess and since mine are black so are yours. I think they fit you quite nicely, personally._

_ Do not fret and think that you will not be able to hide them. Your body's genetic structure has changed so that your wings will fold into your back as you will them to. Unfortunately, every time you take them out you will feel it. As time goes on and you take your wings out more and more, the pain should slowly recede. Do not worry about a bunch of raw skin there either. Your skin cells have received generous regenerative abilities and seconds after you are ever hurt your body will heal itself. Unfortunately, mortal wounds or decapitations do not count._

_ You have also probably noticed the tattoo on your forehead and the two objects I left behind for you. One is Medea's SPF 5000 sunscreen. I know the SPF number is a little overkill but it comes in handy for us Vampyres when we have to be in the sun for long periods of time. It also comes in handy when fighting monsters with a light or fire ability. Hopefully you won't have to deal with them. The next object is a concealer of my own invention. You got your Potions skills from me, son, don't forget that. Anyway, it is designed so that it will not stand out and will cover your tattoo perfectly. You will not feel it on you and it won't rub off with water or sweat. Wear this when it contact with others as your tattoo may arouse suspicion. When you want to remove it just apply makeup cleaner or rubbing alcohol. I've never tried it, but I believe Scourgify works as well._

_ The tattoo is my mark. All Vampyres are marked with it. Yours is unfilled because you have not yet earned the prestige that comes with a filled mark. Once you have, it will be fully colored in. Other tattoos may appear on your skin as well, marking different achievements that you have done. _

_ Do no worry about your need for blood. Until your mark is filled in, you will not experience blood lust. If you cannot bring yourself to be able to stomach the idea of drinking blood from a living being when the time comes, human or animal alike, send me an Iris message and I will send you some blood bags from my personal stores._

_ Speaking of Iris messages I should tell you how it works. All you need is a drachma and some mist. If there is none around you naturally you can create it. I trust you know the spell. Then you throw your drachma into the mist and say, 'Oh, Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering.' If she does accept, which is more often than not, the coin will disappear and you can tell the mist who you wish to contact. The mist will then form a two way mirror of sorts for you and your companion to communicate. One drachma equals five minutes of talking or until someone destroys the mist. _

_ I believe I have told you everything you need to know. Oh, wait one more thing! How to fly with those new wings of yours is what you are probably wondering. It is simple, especially since your brain has a flight manual already imprinted in it. Like walking, all you have to do is will your wings to move. Like legs they will move without your need to concentrate on them. The rest you will discover on your own. Hopefully you will never go yeep, which is a flying term that describes your wings freezing up midair due to a major emotional blow. Sort of like going numb when something emotional happens to you. But I have confidence and so must you._

_ Your goddess and Mother,_

_Nyx_

Severus finished reading the letter and folded it up, putting it in his bag along with the sunscreen and concealer. Concealer! He was not a woman; he should not have to wear makeup! But Nyx was right, it would be less suspicious if he kept it hidden.

The wings bothered him slightly. Apparently his brain already knew how to use them. But besides that point he was still reluctant to go try them out. If he went yeep like she mentioned he could fall and seriously hurt himself or even die. As the letter mentioned, he was not immortal to mortal wounds.

A sense of relief flooded him when he read the part about the blood drinking. So he had some time to build up some mental strength against his trained instinct to never drink the red liquid. That was good. He also appreciated the sunscreen. While Severus was not the type to go outside often, he had a feeling that there would be days when the sunlight would be unavoidable.

He finished packing his things and left the room. Severus had showered the night before as soon as he had finished cleaning up the hotel room. Today he had just applied a freshening spell to his clothes and had applied some cologne.

Before he left he applied the concealer. He grimaced as he took the white pad of cotton and smeared it in the skin colored goo before smearing it on his forehead. This was a major blow to his pride. As he had thought before, a man should not have to wear makeup. Only women and clowns wore makeup. But technically this wasn't makeup. It was a cover-up. This thought relieved Severus some but not enough to fully accept the cosmetic.

Now Severus was back at the main lobby. Ms. Marlene was there again this morning, with her cigarettes, magazine, whiskey, and game show playing in the background. "Good morning, Ms. Marlene," he greeted as kindly as he could. Now that he was in the Muggle world with a new life he decided to try and smile and be nice more often. But it was harder than he thought.

"Good morning, Mr. Prince, leaving so soon?" she asked in that fake-kind tone that she had started using after discovering how rich he now was.

"Yes, I am checking out an ad in the paper for an apartment. Do you know how to get to George III road?" he asked.

"Sure," she gave him a map of the nearby area and highlighted the quickest route with a marker.

"Thanks again, Ms. Marlene," he called as he left the hotel.

"No problem, hun, come back and visit!" she yelled after him.

Severus smiled and shook his head as the old woman's cry reached him. Like he would be going back there any time soon. The woman was only nice to him because of his wealth anyways. Speaking of he had decided to not flaunt his wealth any more than he could. Being a multibillionaire all of a sudden draws attention to you, especially if you are an "Ordinary Joe" rising out of Nowhere. So he would keep quiet. Only take out small bills, not use his card if he could help it, get an honest job, find Granger and move on with his life…..

But that probably wouldn't happen. Severus Snape was not a normal man. He never had been one and never would be. Hell, he wasn't even a _man_ anymore. He was fucking half-breed vampyre with fucking wings. How the hell do you hide all that? _Well, Severus,_ he mused as he walked the path marked on his map,_ you did manage to be a double spy for around 17 years successfully. And you were able to keep your personal life so secret that it took death for others to find out. This is no different. _But it was and he knew it. He just didn't know what the repercussions would be when someone finally found out his secret.

So Severus shook his head at the ground and smiled again, though this time it was bitter. And he continued walking to the ticking time bomb called Silvia Quilb, because chances are, if anyone found out his secret, it would be her. But he had no choice but to stay with her, for that he knew for sure was the gods' wish.

**AN: Sorry if this chapter was a bit more explanatory than plot moving. I had to somehow get across his new abilities and the fact that because of them his mission became so much easier and harder at the same time. Next chapter will be when the two finally meet and a game of tricks and lies is begun. Reviews are welcome but please as mentioned before no flames!**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_""_

Silvia went to bed after she had gotten home from work. It had been too early in the morning to call the man who was inquiring about her flat and besides, she didn't know _who _to call anyway. She couldn't just very well ring up the motel and ask for whoever called her last. It didn't work that way.

So she got herself a decent rest and was up at noon, ready to start her day. She didn't have work today, thankfully, and decided to hang around the flat for a bit to see if this mystery guy would even bother to show up today.

Silvia decided to plop herself down on the couch, Crookshanks curled up against her, and turn on the telly. One of the channels was having a _The Sopranos _marathon on and she greedily flicked the channel to it. That show, _CSI, _and _Law & Order _were her entertainment weaknesses.

After the third episode she had watched came and went she heard a rapping on the door. Silvia got up and slid the deadbolt off the door and opened it. Standing there was a rather handsome guy her age with short black hair and a skin tight black t-shirt. His muscles were evident, but not in the bodybuilder way.

"Hello. I'm here about the room space available? I trust you are Ms. Quilb?" he asked her in a polite tone. His voice was a rich soft baritone that sounded vaguely familiar. Where had she heard that voice before? Maybe he went to the club a lot.

"I am she," Silvia responded. "And if you ended up moving in you can start calling me Silvia."

He grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Well, you might as well come in so I can give you a quick tour Mr.-?" She began.

"Seth. Seth Prince," he told her after only a moment's hesitation. Silvia narrowed her eyes almost imperceptibly but she didn't say anything. His name was familiar too. Where had she met him before? It irked her that she didn't know. If she didn't know something it was like getting a blow to her intelligence. She _had_ to find out.

"Have I met you before? Your name and voice sound familiar," she suddenly queried. Seth blinked at her in confusion.

"I don't think so," he replied slowly, as if he were checking his memories for any sign of her in his previous journeys.

"Are you sure?" she checked.

"Positive," he responded. He pointed slightly at the entrance. "May I come in now?"

"Oh yeah, sure," Silvia blushed slightly in embarrassment and opened the door wide enough for Seth to slip in.

He looked around the room at the simple furnishings but didn't comment on anything. Taking this as her cue to start showing him around she said, "This is the main room. As you can see there is a living room attached to a full kitchenette and dining area." Seth nodded and she beckoned him to follow her as she led him to a side door.

Silvia turned the knob of the door and opened it. The two of them stepped into a decent sized room that had several boxes littered about it. There was also a bed in one corner with a side table and a small dresser against another wall. A window was on the wall adjacent to the bed and looked out to the London streets.

"This will be your room if you end up staying," she explained. "I'll move the boxes for you somewhere else and there's a closet in the back wall to put your clothes and stuff. Unfortunately, this is all the furniture I have for this room. You'll have to add any additional furnishings yourself."

"That's fine," he told her.

"Good! Now let me show you the bathroom. I work the dawn shift at the club I work at so I don't think there will be any issues over shower time," she explained to Seth as she led him to the bathroom.

"What does that door lead to?" he asked her after she finished showing him the bathroom.

"Oh, that's my room. But I don't believe you need to see that mess!" she replied and he nodded in agreement. "There's one last thing I want to show you and then we can go over details if you are still interested."

"Okay."

She went back to the living room and opened a window. Silvia climbed through it and beckoned Seth to join her. He reluctantly did.

"This is my little balcony. As you can see I have a little grill for making steaks and stuff but I don't really use it much." She climbed back through the window and he rejoined her inside.

"I know it's not much but I think we can make do," she told him, a hopeful tone in her voice.

He grinned. "It's perfect Ms. Quilb. Or should I call you Silvia now?"

Silvia gawked at him. "You are taking it?"

Seth nodded and Silvia felt a wave of relief. She now had a way of holding on to her apartment! And to top it all off her roommate was a hot guy!

"Are you sure you don't want to go over the details?" she checked one last time.

"Positive. I'm quite sure that your pricing is fair."

"It is! Or at least I think so. Everything is 50% which makes the cost of you staying here about 175 a month," she told him eagerly.

"That sounds fair," he responded neutrally.

"Great! Now I just need you to sign these papers," she went to the table and grabbed the forms that made Seth co-tenant of the flat. Silvia handed him a pen and he proceeded to fill them out before handing them back to her.

Suddenly a thought struck Silvia as Seth was signing the papers. She knew nothing about him! Was it too late now to ask? Surely not.

"Seth?" she asked hesitantly as he was bent over the forms.

"Yes?"

"Before I turn these in to the landlord, is it okay if I ask you some questions? I just want to make sure that you won't cause me more trouble than not though I don't think you will."

He looked up from his papers and turned to face her. "I don't see why not."

"First off. Where were you born?"

"Couldn't tell you to save my life but I did grow up in Sp- Sussex," he answered. Silvia glanced at him suspiciously when he stuttered over the location but she ignored it.

"Do you have any parents?"

"My father is dead and has been since I was seventeen. My mother is still alive."

Silvia frowned. "My condolences on your father," she told him honestly.

Seth waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I never liked him much anyway. He always seemed to favor his tonic and gin over me and my mum."

"Oh. Well, what does your mother do?" Silvia continued her questions.

"She works in…politics," he told her slowly.

"Politics?"

"Yea, my father was mayor of the village. When he died, the townspeople voted my mother into office. After all, she basically did all the work when my father was alive anyways."

"I guess that's good. Do you have any formal education past high school?"

He shook his head. "I was the type of teenager that didn't appreciate schooling at the time. So as soon as I got my diploma I told myself I wouldn't step foot in a classroom ever again. How I regret that statement." Seth laughed bitterly.

"Any occupation?" This was her most important question. If he didn't have a job how could he be expected to pay rent?

"None at the moment, unfortunately. I just moved into London. But don't worry, as soon as I get settled in I will be looking," he responded. Her heart sank a little. No job. Even if he did get looking he may not be able to find a job that could pay him in time before the first round of bills came in.

He seemed to have noticed her downcast expression and must have guessed her thoughts because Seth continued to say, "But my family had never been badly off money wise so I will be able to cover rent with my savings until I can get a job."

Silvia grinned. Maybe there was a chance after all. "One last question. Any criminal record?"

"None. Even though I didn't believe in school I knew better than to break the law."

Silvia grinned. This guy checked out. "Well, you passed my little background check! Welcome to our flat!"

"I'm glad this worked out then," Seth told her as he signed the last part of the paperwork. He shook her hand to seal the deal and handed her the papers.

"Me too! I'll give these to the landlord after you leave," she told him excitedly.

Seth raised an eyebrow. "Why would I leave?"

"I, um, thought you would want to go get your belongings and bring them here," she stuttered, embarrassed.

He smiled ruefully. "I have nothing else but this bag. I was hoping to go shopping tomorrow."

She looked at him dubiously. "Um, okay…I'll just go give these papers to the landlord and get a spare key from him to give to you. You can get yourself comfortable while I'm gone."

"Okay." He began to wander around the apartment, checking things out a little more closely. As Silvia exited the door she suddenly turned to him.

"Oh and Seth!" he turned to her. "Don't go into my room, please."

"No problem," he told her with a sincere tone. She hoped he would keep his word. Sure, she had locked her room anyway but she didn't know if he knew how to pick locks.

She went down to the lobby and found the landlord. He was a kindly old man who charged fair and was nice to her despite her rebellious appearance and odd schedule.

"Here you go, Mr. Smith. These are the new tenant forms," she told him and handed him the papers. He took them and handed her a spare key.

"I saw him as he came in, Ms. Quilb. He seems to be quite the looker," he told her.

Silvia blushed. "That's not the reason!" she protested.

He winked. "Of course not."

She bid Mr. Smith goodbye after that and went back to her apartment, wondering if maybe that _was_ the real reason why she let Seth stay, and she just didn't know it. Perhaps time will tell.

**AN: Yay! A new chapter! This one was slightly more plot moving and the two finally met! Apparently, Severus is quite the smooth talker if he was able to lie so well that she believed him. Next chapter will be in his POV and I think I will just switch POV's alternatively like I have been doing from here on out unless the plot makes it otherwise. ALSO, I need help lovelies! As you may have noticed, each chapter starts out with song lyrics that have to do with a main part of the chapter. I cannot figure out a song to go with this one. Please, please, please, send me reviews with song lyrics that could fit or a song so I can put that in. Thank you so much! **

**Shout out to: VapmireSearcher; LittlebigmouthOKC; Mouse; OfTheDark; and duj for your reviews and to anyone who favorited or followed my story! Thanks and keep reviewing/ reading!**


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